Hot Summer Sails: Five Boats to Know

How to hire the perfect crafts for messing about on the water

THERE IS SOMETHING enduringly romantic about sailing the high seas: the calm, the solitude and the freedom that come with your own movable abode, drifting past a constantly changing landscape before coming to rest in secret coves and along shorelines where your only company is the crabs that crawl along the sand. Whether you're looking for the swankiest of yachts, with disco balls and all, a classic sailing yacht with a billowing grace or the thrill of deep sea fishing on a sportsman, we've found the perfect boat for you. Just remember to bring your sea legs.

ENLARGE

Illustration by Rui Ricardo/FolioArt for the The Wall Street Journal; Alamy

Classic Sailing Yacht

WHAT // Built for gentle cruising or regatta racing, a classic yacht lets you experience the full power of the wind. And Vertigo, designed by naval architect Philippe Briand and French interior design house Christian Liaigre for Alloy Yachts, is the largest to be built in the Southern Hemisphere. Its 67 meters are long and lean—perfect for racing against the wind—while its glossy walnut interior comes complete with a gym and a 10-person Jacuzzi.

WHO // Sporting seafarers who want to feel the wind in their hair.

WHERE // See what these powerful boats can do with an island hop around the stunning Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar. Made up of 800 islands, close to the Thai border, this relatively new destination on the yachting circuit will give you the chance to stretch your sea legs on almost untouched islands where you'll be able to spot lizards and gibbons and maybe even meet the seminomadic Moken people who live here.

Illustration by Rui Ricardo/FolioArt for the The Wall Street Journal; Corbis

Sportsfisher

WHAT // If lounging around on deck doesn't rock your boat, head out on an adventure where you can work for your supper. A trip on a Sportsfisher offers a chance to indulge in some serious fishing—while enjoying all the comforts of a superyacht. See what you can catch on Camper & Nicholsons' fisherman yacht Mea Culpa, which is fully equipped with a fishing tower, live-bait well and fighting chair.

WHO // Budding sea dogs.

WHERE // The Bahamas is regarded as the sportfishing capital of the world. Head to the fertile waters of Bimini, which were among Hemingway's favorite hunting grounds. In the 1930s, he reportedly hooked the islands' first big tuna, employing a technique that later became known as "Hemingwaying"—landing a fish on board the boat before it has a chance to tire.

Illustration by Rui Ricardo/FolioArt for the The Wall Street Journal; Alamy

Megayacht

WHAT // If you're the kind of cruiser who's looking for a disco lounge, a 3-D cinema and a pool floor that rises to create a party space—all without going ashore, there's only one boat for you: the megayacht. And it doesn't get more mega than Nirvana, Edmiston's unashamedly flashy gin palace, with two helipads, a reptile house with chameleons, lizards and water dragons, a glass elevator and interiors decked out in white onyx, eucalyptus and teak.

WHO // Schmoozers, sheiks and party people with endless pockets.

WHERE // Designed to sail anywhere in the world, the Nirvana is made for the kind of yacht gawking that is best seen along the Côte d'Azur. Be sure to make the obligatory stop in St. Tropez harbor to show off your wares.

HOW // €199 million to buy; charter from €900,000 a week; edmiston.com

Illustration by Rui Ricardo/FolioArt for the The Wall Street Journal; Alamy

Phinisi Ship

WHAT // This traditional two-masted sailing ship, usually built by the Bugis in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is one of the most glamorous old boats still unfurling its sails. Given that they've been around for centuries and are still handcrafted out of teak and rattan, even a modern phinisi like the Alila Purnama will make you feel like a young Jim Hawkins on a search for your own treasure island—without having to give up any creature comforts.

WHO // Romantic adventurers yearning to see some wildlife.

WHERE // Take this beautiful vessel out on the sparkling waters it was first created to sail: the seas surrounding Indonesia. From now until September, the Alila Purnama is sailing on a Komodo Island Expedition. Guests will be taken on an island-hopping adventure that includes Rinca Island, of Komodo dragon fame.

HOW // From $54,000, or €40,000, for six nights for 10, including unlimited dives and shore excursions; alilahotels.com

Illustration by Rui Ricardo/FolioArt for the The Wall Street Journal; Alamy

Large Motor Yacht

WHAT // Usually under 75 meters, these boats are a more discreet way to show off on the waves, without completely slumming it. If it's comfort you're after, but you're not quite in the market for a megayacht, go for a "modest" 40 meters. With choices like the Princess K, a 2013 Sunseeker from Camper & Nicholsons, you can rest your weary bones in the Jacuzzi after a day spent snorkeling and jet skiing, followed by sundowners from the cocktail bar.

WHO // Kids big and small; thrill seekers who love diving and venturing off the beaten track.

WHERE // Cruise the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean before anchoring in the Seychelles, where you can sail the granite inner islands, such as Fregate La Digue and North Island. Or, if you're feeling really adventurous, head further afield to the low-lying sand atolls and cays that make up the Outer Islands.

The prices listed here indicate that these are not vacations for the wealthiest 1% but for the wealthiest .0001. It would be nice if WSJ would show what could be chartered for, say, $10,000 per week. That would still be a big splurge for most readers, but it would at least be attainable by many.

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